


Blackthorne

by PenelopeBarnes



Category: No Fandom
Genre: Consensual Relationship, Consensual Sex, Exophilia, F/M, NSFW in later chapters, Orc Culture, male orc/female human - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2020-01-31 22:15:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18600460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PenelopeBarnes/pseuds/PenelopeBarnes





	Blackthorne

Ayla breathed in deeply and released it with a pleased sigh. It would be summer soon and the warmer weather was a welcome reprieve from the cold barrenness of winter. She greeted and waved to Fenn as she passed the pig trough and the hen house. She unlatched the gate to the garden and walked along each row, checking each plant carefully, taking note of which ones were ready for harvesting and once she had her inventory, she sunk down to her knees and began filling her basket.

"Your father is calling for you love, best go see what he wants," Elise told her after she had been there a while.

"Thank you, I'll be there in a moment," She said and Elise nodded before returning to her chores.

Ayla rose from the ground and brushed the dirt off of her leggings and gave her back a good stretch before heading back to the house. She dropped off her basket on the counter in the kitchen, she would help Elise and Lettie clean and prepare them later.

"Goodness girl! Do you have no shame dressing like that?!" Her father scolded when she entered the main room, eyeing her tunic and leggings with scorn.

"I'm sorry Father, I was tending to the garden and didn't want to dirty any of my dresses," she apologized, deliberately keeping her head low.

"You shouldn't be tending to it at all! That is why we have servants, what you should be doing instead is focusing on your studies and keeping house like a proper girl, how else will you become a good wife?" He scolded once again and Ayla had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from making a smart remark, it's not like they were high class citizens; as much as her father would like to pretend.

"Yes Father," she said instead, wringing her hands impatiently behind her back.

"Good, now onto the matter at hand. I have found you a husband; young Burke has asked for your hand and I've paid a fine dowry for you. He will be here to collect you in the morning, I suggest you start packing your belongings," he told her, sounding rather pleased with himself.

Ayla's head snapped up in shock and disgust. Burke may have been the son of a Lord, but he was a foul pig that made her skin crawl whenever she had the misfortune of running into him. He had once forced her into an alley and used his weight to pin her tightly against the building while his hands tried to snake their way under her skirts. Her only saving grace had been her friend Grahn, who had been passing by and heard her cries for help. He'd hauled Burke off of her and threatened to tear his limbs off before beating him with them for being so dishonorable. After he'd run off like the coward he was, she thanked him profusely, eagerly agreeing when he offered to escort her home. Since then, she hadn't dared to go into town alone.

"Father you can't be serious, Burke is a scoundrel! Surely you have heard of his reputation?!" She argued, unable to remain silent on the matter.

"Mind your tongue! It is no fault of his that he is virile and it is a man's right to satisfy his needs. Besides you should be happy, he is the son of our great Lord Bekham and he has spoken so dearly of his devotion for you, he will make a fine husband and you will bear him fine heirs," he told her sternly, leaving no room for argument, but Ayla squared her shoulders anyway and looked him straight in the eye.

"I refuse," she told him with as much authority as she could muster and she watched her father's eyes widen just a fraction before he clenched his jaw and raised his hand as if to strike her, making her flinch involuntarily.

"It seems you've forgotten your place Ayla, let me remind you that you are a woman and as such, you have no choice. Your dowry has been paid and your husband to be will come fetch you in the morning. Now go clean yourself up and put on some proper clothes, I'm tired of looking at you," he dismissed her coldly and headed to his study without waiting for her reply.

She stood stiffly in the middle of the room, her jaws and fists clenched as she swallowed thickly and fought against the burning tears filled with anger and frustration that blurred her vision. It wasn't until a choked sob forced it's way from her throat unexpectedly that she rushed into her bedroom, making sure to lock her door before she sank to the floor and pressed her face into her knees as she pulled her legs close to her. She stayed like that until her tears were spent and her back was stiff and sore. She picked herself off the floor and crawled into her bed numbly, giving in to the overwhelming urge to sleep.

o0o

Ayla awoke with her heart pounding so hard she was sure it had relocated itself into her throat. The knocking at the door that had startled her into consciousness came again and her chest constricted in a moment of panic before she looked out her window to see that the sun was just beginning to set. She breathed a sigh of relief before addressing whoever it was on the other side of her door, praying to the Goddess that it wasn't her father.

"It's just me, I have some supper for you if you're feeling well enough to eat," Lettie called out softly, her voice full of sympathy.

She padded across the room and unlocked the door, opening it just enough to make sure she was alone and saw that she held a tray full of her favorite foods as well as a decanter of sweet spiced wine and a small mound of honey cakes. She pulled the door open wider and ushered the younger girl into her room quickly before locking them in; her father didn't like it when she 'fraternized' with the 'servants' but they were the closest thing to an actual family that she had.

"Thank you Lettie, this looks delicious," she praised and received a wave of her hand.

"Don't thank me, Mum's the one who thought you could use some cheering up. She says your Da's a fool to send you off with such a despicable man," She said, whispering the last bit conspiratorially, making Ayla crack a small smile and she poured herself and Lettie a generous cup of wine.

o0o

"If I have to get married, I would like to choose my own husband, someone that I loved as much as they loved me, hell I don't even know if I wanna get married at all!" she sniffled sometime later, nibbling on a honeycake, her cheeks warm from the wine.

"I'm sorry Ayla, I wish things could be different," Lettie told her sincerely and wrapped her arms tightly around her, holding her and rubbed her back soothingly.

"What about Mister Grahn? I know you like him, your cheeks get all pink whenever he comes around," Lettie teased when she let go and Ayla felt her cheeks get warmer.

"Don't be foolish Lettie, Grahn's an Orc, and as sweet, and handsome, and charming as he is, I'm fairly certain he has no interest in me," she countered and Lettie scoffed.

"The only foolish one here is you! Have you seen the way he looks at you? He adores you Miss Ayla, I'm sure that if he knew that his feelings were returned, he would offer his hand in a heartbeat!" Lettie argued passionately, the alcohol in her system making her loud and Ayla hushed her quickly. They paused for a moment, sitting silently on the floor, waiting for someone to stir. When no one came knocking at her door, the both of them relaxed.

"Maybe you're right, maybe he does have feelings for me, but that does not change the fact that I am being sold off to a horrible man that I do not love, that will force me into his bed the moment he has the chance," her voice shook as she tried to keep herself from sobbing.

"Maybe you should go to the stronghold? Mister Grahn said you could after he found out how mean your Da is to you. I know you only stay for us, but I don't want you to be forced into a life like that. You're like my big sister and I want you to be happy, we all do," Lettie told her, breaking down into sobs and Ayla joined her, unable to keep her tears at bay any longer.

After Lettie's confession Ayla couldn't help but agree to go, so the two of them set out to pack her travel bag, only packing the clothing Elise had made for her, as they were more practical and meant far more to her than anything her father made her wear. She also packed her combs and jewelry that her adopted family had saved up to buy for her when her 18th birthday had come. 

Fenn and Elise had told her how proud they were to watch her grow into such a fine young lady and the four of them had ate, drank, and danced well into the night. 

When her father returned a week later, he'd been none the wiser and had congratulated her off handedly, telling her that she'd better get married soon before she became an old maid.

Once her bag was packed to their liking, they snuck down to the kitchen to grab some provisions; a wedge of cheese, a good sized hunk of bread, a log of cured meat and a water skin were placed carefully into an over the shoulder bag.

"What in the name of Frigg are the two of you up to?" Elise asked from the doorway, making them jump.

"Oh thank goodness it's just you Mum! I was afraid it was Master Hearst, he'd be frothin' at the mouth if he caught us," Lettie said with relief, but looked away when her mother gave her a stern look.

"Don't you be so sure that I won't be as well if you don't tell me what's going on right now," she demanded, her voice full of authority even as she kept her volume down to a whisper.

"I'm going to the stronghold in the mountains, Grahn offered me a place to stay a while back and now seems as good as a time to go, all things considered," Ayla spoke up after a moment, nibbling at her bottom lip nervously.

"Let me see what you have," she said after a moment and held her hand out expectantly as Ayla handed it to her reluctantly. 

"Calm down love, I just want to make sure you have enough, it's a five day journey for humans, I don't want you runnin' out and goin' hungry," Elise reassured her gently before opening the bag, examining its contents. 

She flitted around the kitchen with ease, throwing in some fresh apples as well as some dried fruit and a scoop of walnuts. Lastly she handed Ayla a honeycake before she grabbed her cloak and something else that Ayla couldn't see.

"Here, take Da's extra knife, loop it on your belt and don't hesitate to use it. Make sure you eat that cake, it'll give you plenty of energy, keep your wits about you and stay safe. I'll pray to the Goddess that I'll be able to hold you in my arms again someday," she instructed as she draped the cloak over Ayla's shoulders and pulled her into a teary eyed hug.

"I love you," Ayla choked out quietly when she let go and Elise cupped her cheeks gently, kissing her on the forehead.

"And I love you, but you need to go now, the sun will rise in a few hours and you need to get as far as you can," she instructed, sniffling and wiping away her tears.

She nodded and turned to hug Lettie tightly, promising that they would be together someday before she left. She ran to the tree line where the trail that Grahn had showed her was hidden, fighting against the tightness in her chest and the overwhelming urge to run back into Elise' arms and never let go. She kept up her pace until she couldn't see her village through the trees before she finally stopped. She took a moment to catch her breath before digging the honeycake out of her bag and headed off again, this time at a slightly slower, more steady pace.


End file.
